District Six Museum
Normal Price: Adult – R50 | Child – R15
What you get: Free entry into the museum
Explore the traumatic history of Apartheid and lives of the people who once lived in District Six at the District Six Museum in Cape Town.District Six Museum and the history of Apartheid in Cape Town
The District Six Museum in the Cape Town City Centre tells the stories of the happiness and sadness felt by the people of District Six before and after the forced removals. Established in December 1994, the museum works with the memories of the District Six experience and with that of forced removals more generally.
District Six Museum Highlights
- Understand the history and impact of racial segregation in Cape Town
- Learn about the vibrant community that was forcibly removed from the historical District Six area of Cape Town
- Engage and interact with staff members who have personal, intimate stories to share about their life in District Six
OVERVIEW
The District Six Museum is an educational experience for both adults and children. Visitors will learn about the once colourful hub for musicians, artists, and ‘good’ and ‘bad’ gangsters, that faced a 20-year-long period of demolition and forced removals during the apartheid era.
Engage with photographs, recordings, and testimonials, which offer further insight into the turbulence of apartheid. In between exhibitions, share the stories of District Six with engaging and friendly staff members, the majority of whom were displaced residents themselves and have intimate and personal stories to share.
HISTORY
The District Six Museum was not always a powerfully moving home for the stories of the areas of former residents. Prior to its current purpose, it was a wine shop until the Methodists took it over in 1883 and founded the Buitenkamp Methodist Mission Church. The District Six Museum Foundation was only established in 1989, and the museum itself came into being in 1994. Currently, the museum serves as a remembrance of the once lively multi-racial area that was forcefully removed during apartheid in the 1960s and 1970s.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
District Six Museum
25A Buitenkant St, Zonnebloem, Cape Town, 8000
Hours: Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm
Phone: +27 (0)21 466 7200
Website: www.districtsix.co.za
THINGS TO KNOW
ADVICE FOR VISITORS
Be warned: it is impossible not to be emotionally touched when visiting this site. Nevertheless, it is an important place to visit to help create a stronger understanding of South Africa’s rich history. Make a point of joining in on a guided tour from an ex-resident of the original District Six. You will gain a real sense of what it was like for the people back in those days. If you need a break, there is a wonderful coffee shop that offers drinks and snacks – it’s a great place to make an introduction to the Cape’s traditional sweet treat of koeksisters.
DID YOU KNOW
The ground floor of the museum is covered by a large street map of District Six on which are handwritten notes by former residents indicating where their demolished homes once stood.
